Chapter 388

The professors probably had some expectations, but just because they’re professors doesn’t mean they know everything about the Tartars.

After all, before the Tartar kingdom was even established, they had caused their fair share of incidents, leading to a pretty bad reputation.

As soon as Kara enrolled, she was met with scorn and called a barbarian. That’s just how perceptions work.

Of course, one could argue that openly racially discriminating isn’t very thoughtful, don’t you think?

It’s hard to believe that elite Academy Students would act so rudely.

A common example often brought up is Earth. Human rights might have improved after two World Wars, but racism remains as strong as ever.

Moreover, most Academy Students have inflated egos. Where there’s pride, there’s bound to be arrogance as well.

“Ugh. It’s so dang hot! Why are we living in a place like this?”

“Right? It’s just too hot!”

At first, it was merely grumbling about the weather. I could hear the chatter of students behind me.

Currently, the professors were busy buying supplies for their desert crossing. However, it was taking longer than expected.

Just because they’re professors doesn’t mean they’re fluent in Tartar, and the route was pretty complicated. It was almost like being in a busy marketplace.

“How much for this?”

“Ten silver coins.”

“Ten coins for a water bottle? Isn’t five enough?”

“Oh come on. Water is an extremely precious resource in our country.”

Plus, haggling was a must, making the process even slower. Especially since it was lunchtime and the heat was unbearable.

Given all this, it was only natural for students to get increasingly frustrated. Heat is known to skyrocket people’s annoyance levels.

The only saving grace was that the humidity was low. So if you had at least a parasol, you could avoid some heat.

“Are there no parasols or hats around here? What kind of place is this?”

“I guess wearing clothes is the best alternative. Or maybe they just don’t have the money to make parasols.”

“That could be it. Hehe.”

I caught snippets of the gossip coming from behind me. I casually glanced back.

Just then, the students who had been gossiping turned to look at me, clearly caught off guard.

But did they realize they weren’t talking about me? They had a look that said, “So what?” They’ll probably get in trouble later.

“I really wish they’d read the mood.”

Instead of focusing on the students, I looked around. News that an Academy Student was coming had already spread like wildfire.

So the merchants likely knew we were Academy Students. In situations like this, first impressions matter a lot.

But it seemed that gossip had just ruined our first impression, as they wore fierce expressions.

They were trying to act indifferent, but I could tell they were watching us closely. That was a bad sign.

“How much for this?”

“A thousand silver coins.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s a thousand silver coins. If you can’t pay that, then go elsewhere.”

This was clearly affecting our haggling. The merchant refused to sell after overhearing the gossip.

Godin, taking the lead, looked shocked as he stared at the merchant, but the merchant just crossed his arms and refused to budge.

The students who spilled the gossip were from a different country, not Godin’s. They probably didn’t realize they were being rude.

“We absolutely need this to cross the desert…”

“What is it?”

I felt it was my turn to step in. Cautiously, I stepped forward and asked Godin.

As I stepped up, Godin flinched for a moment, then pointed at the item the merchant had refused to sell.

The item in question was a compass. It wasn’t just a necessity; without it, one’s life could be in danger.

“Do you not have a compass?”

“No. Compasses tend to malfunction when using warp magic, so you have to buy one locally.”

“As I said earlier, I’m not selling it. Now scram and stop bothering me.”

As if he’d heard our conversation, the merchant waved his hands dismissively. Naturally, Godin looked distressed.

I glanced back at those students who had been gossiping loudly earlier.

Did they not realize what trouble they had caused? They had expressions that seemed to scream their discontent.

It looked like things were about to escalate into a big fight. But first, we needed to sort out the compass.

The portable compass’s price wasn’t exorbitant, though it certainly wasn’t a thousand silver coins.

“Can you give us a discount?”

“Oh? Sivar… student?”

“What? You know our language?”

As I spoke Tartar fluently, both Godin and the merchant showed surprise.

At the same time, a slight glimmer of favor appeared on the merchant’s face. There’s nothing better for getting on someone’s good side than being fluent in their language.

“Yes. We really need it. Please, just a little off the price.”

“Hmmm. I’d rather not give a discount…”

“Please, with a generous heart. We are newcomers here.”

“Ugh… then I’ll sell it for a hundred silver coins.”

“Thank you very much.”

He slashed the price down to one-tenth. I bowed my head gratefully.

After the transaction, the merchant glanced back and cautioned me.

“If you don’t want to get stabbed by those fools behind you, tell them to watch their mouths.”

“That’s a good experience too.”

“A good experience? Ha! That’s a fair point.”

The merchant chuckled as he completed the transaction. Godin received the compass but wore a grim expression.

“Can you speak Tartar?”

“Can’t you, professor?”

“…”

When I replied like that, he just nodded and moved on, seemingly giving up on thinking too deeply.

If things keep going like this, it would be perfect, but trolls always seem to exist.

As expected, those students who had gossiped blatantly earlier made their move.

“Why are they haggling? Are they out of money?”

“Maybe so. It’s not like their country has been around for long.”

“True. If they weren’t poor, they wouldn’t be resorting to theft, would they?”

“Barbarians will always be barbarians. They’ll probably just keep robbing.”

Well, it’s true that humans are born wicked. It’s as if there’s no difference from Earth at all.

There’s an old saying: one word can repay a thousand debts.

Conversely, one word can also create a thousand debts.

“What did you just say? What’s wrong with our country?”

“Uh, uh? What?”

“Why? Did you think we wouldn’t understand foreign languages? Are all Academy Students like this?”

Merchants know better than to express dissatisfaction while making a sale, even if they overcharge.

But ordinary folks aren’t the same. Especially if they’re hot-blooded young people.

Anyone would feel offended if you insulted their homeland. Especially since the Tartar kingdom’s founding myth was just established not long ago.

There’s a high chance they’re overflowing with pride. For a foreigner to openly gossip like that?

“Wait, there’s been a misunderstanding—”

“A misunderstanding? You just called our country poor and barbaric! How dare you insult us like that!”

-Slam!

Now a Tartar was grabbing the collar of the student. The student was startled and grabbed his hands, but it was useless.

In Tartar, men over thirty who don’t have physical or mental disabilities are affiliated with the “Warrior” class.

Since the kingdom is established, you have to view them as soldiers. In this day and age, soldiers are basically human weapons.

No matter how elite an Academy Student might be, going against a soldier who’s faced death multiple times would be tough.

“That confidence is overwhelming.”

The student caught in the hold was too intimidated to do anything. Right now, he probably felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Godin, startled, hurriedly stepped in to calm the local, or else it could have escalated into a serious incident.

The local glared at the choking student and warned Godin.

“Did you say they are Academy Students?”

“Yes? Uh, wait a minute. Sivar student?”

“?”

“Can you give me a moment?”

What was that? Were they asking for translation help?

Then again, not every Tartar would be fluent in foreign languages.

Maybe merchants would be, but only a few in the Warrior class might be proficient—still an impressive feat.

“Hello. I can speak Tartar.”

“Hmmm? You can speak our language?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a rare experience. Anyway, please educate those rude ones. Next time they do something like this, I’ll challenge them to a duel.”

“Understood. I’ll make sure they listen.”

“Some stir up trouble while others apologize. Tsk tsk. Academy Students are really something.”

“…”

That last part wasn’t directed at me, given that it wasn’t in Tartar, but rather another language.

Seeing the gossiping students turn bright red, it seemed they were the intended audience for those words.

This alone must’ve been enough humiliation for them. It probably stung more that they were ruder than ‘savages’ like me.

“You guys should apologize too.”

“Wha, what?”

“Your manners are worse than those of a barbarian.”

“…”

So I made them apologize. Perhaps they had a sliver of conscience, as they bowed their heads.

The local snorted but said no more and left.

A commotion broke out, but it all turned out well. However, it was probably just the calm before the storm.

“Why does it feel like the situation has flipped?”

Usually, I’m the troublemaker, and others step in to clean up.

Yet now, I found myself cleaning up after someone else’s mess, and it was quite the hassle.

I could see how Rod felt from all this. It’s true that one must experience hardship to understand others.

Anyhow, after that, the students kept their mouths shut, and we had a somewhat peaceful scenario. It became easier to acquire items, too.

But just because we were rude doesn’t mean the other party wouldn’t be rude back. Trash exists everywhere, after all.

“Are those guys from the Academy?”

“They don’t look that strong.”

“I think I could beat them in a fight.”

Just like that. While the locals were fluent in foreign languages, we were not.

Most of us, excluding myself, couldn’t speak Tartar at all. That’s why they could gossip without realizing it.

However, since there were no line-crossing incidents as before, we let things slide in one ear and out the other.

“Fighting right now would just land me in a holding cell, so what’s the point?”

It’d take something significant to be able to talk to Hector on equal terms. Beating up some thugs wouldn’t gain anything.

As long as they didn’t cross the line, of course.

-Swish

“?”

Just as I entered a cool building to take a break while Godin stepped away to order drinks, three young men were sitting right behind me, cackling before.

With my hypersensitivity to my surroundings, I only glanced at them briefly and was ready to wait silently.

“Dumbass.”

“…”

“Pasty foreigners. What are you doing here?”

They were showing their true thug colors. I completely ignored them.

Yeah, I thought I’d let it slide with my ‘big heart’.

“I wonder if you can satisfy a woman with that pitiful body.”

“Is there even a woman involved?”

“If there is, I should get her.”

Right before I heard that line.

How devilish was their remark that even other locals frowned at it?

It seemed they were remaining silent to avoid escalating things, but sadly, they had chosen the wrong target.

-Creak

I pushed my chair back and spun around. When our eyes met, the thugs looked startled for a moment, then continued as if nothing happened.

“He just looked at us!”

“What’s it to you?”

I really didn’t want to say this, but there’s an old saying.

When learning a foreign language, you usually end up learning their curses too.

So I said, “Your mother’s a whore.”

I fired back a clean insult.

“Damn it, you little bastards!”

I even threw in a bonus to cover all bases.